中国，美国官员讨论防务关系

　　中国，美国官员讨论防务关系

       The defense¹ chiefs of China and the United States had their second meeting within 10 days on Wednesday on the sidelines of a regional defense ministers meeting in Brunei, a gesture observers said shows a growing momentum² of frank interaction.

　　Beijing and Washington should maintain dialogue on multilateral occasions to "accumulate mutual³ trust and increase positive energy for ties between the two militaries", Defense Minister Chang Wanquan told his US counterpart Chuck Hagel.

　　Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan (right), talks with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel as they meet before a gala dinner for the second ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on Wednesday. Vincent Thian / associated press

　　The two posed together for pictures before a gala dinner for the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Bandar Seri Begawan on Wednesday night. Chang traveled to the US in mid-August and talked with the US Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon on Aug 19.

　　The two countries should "make tangible⁴ efforts to take care of each other's concerns", and strengthen positive interactions within the multilateral mechanisms⁵ of defense and security affairs, Chang said.

　　Hagel echoed Chang's proposals and stressed the importance of enhancing communication between the defense authorities and their senior officials.

　　Zhao Jingfang, a professor at the National Defense University PLA, said expanding the scope of dialogue and seeking more talks on multilateral occasions, such as the ASEAN defense minister's summit, are "beneficial for enhancing mutual trust".

　　"In the past, Sino-US military communications focused on bilateral⁷ mechanisms and meetings," Zhao said.

　　The importance of strengthening dialogue has also been underlined as the region has witnessed a growing number of US military joint⁸ drills in recent years as well as Washington rebalances its Asia strategy.

　　While in Washington, Chang expressed his hope the US strategy does not target a specific country. "To a certain degree, these kinds of intensified⁹ military activities further complicate¹⁰ the situation in the region," he said.

　　Meng Xiangqing, deputy director of the Strategic Research Institute at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, said the meeting on Wednesday was the second step toward a new type of military-to-military relationship following the Pentagon talks on Aug 19.

　　"This matches President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama's vision of a new type of relationship between the major powers. The frequent interactions between the two sides show the defense ties have entered a new era," Meng said.

　　The Brunei talk between the two defense chiefs will contribute to regional peace and stability and it is also a platform for them to have deeper discussions and avoid misunderstanding, Meng added.

　　During his first trip to the US after assuming office, Chang had a "candid¹¹ and deep" talk with Hagel and exchanged views on a series of bilateral and international issues.

　　Hagel hailed Chang's US trip as "very productive" and accepted Chang's invitation to visit China next year. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, also offered to host his Chinese counterpart, Fang⁶ Fenghui, next year.

　　Meanwhile, Chang announced the Chinese navy would join the RIM¹² of the Pacific joint maritime¹³ exercise for the first time next year at the invitation of the US.

　　During the Pentagon meeting, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in non-traditional security fields, including humanitarian¹⁴ aid.

　　The Chinese defense minister elaborated more on the non-traditional security issue during the talk in Brunei.

　　China and the US should explore pragmatic cooperation in areas such as disaster relief, anti-terrorism and peacekeeping, and "they are expected to improve the region's capability¹⁵ of handling non-traditional security threats", Chang said.

　　The two powers have a record of cooperation in this field.

　　On Sunday, the navies of China and the United States conducted their second joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf¹⁶ of Aden. In September 2012, China and the US conducted their first joint anti-piracy drill, which lasted for five hours, also in the Gulf of Aden.

　　Zhao Yanrong in Beijing and Xinhua contributed to this story.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

4 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

5 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 fang   

n.尖牙，犬牙

参考例句：

• Look how the bone sticks out of the flesh like a dog's fang.瞧瞧,这根骨头从肉里露出来，象一只犬牙似的。
• The green fairy's fang thrusting between his lips.绿妖精的尖牙从他的嘴唇里龇出来。

7 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

9 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

11 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

12 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

13 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

14 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

15 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

16 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。